Heavenly Halva Ice with Lemon Biscotti

Vegan

A rather special dessert that can be prepared beforehand to save time – the ice cream can go in the freezer and the biscotti stored in an air-tight container.

Photograph courtesy of http://flavourphotos.com/

Serves:

Time:

2 hours, including freezing time for the ice cream

Ingredients:

Halva Ice Cream:
400g/14 oz pistachio halva
500g/18fl oz plain soya yoghurt, eg Alpro (1 large tub)
Icing sugar to taste

Biscotti:
75g/2½ oz margarine
125g/4½ oz sugar
250g/9oz self-raising flour
2 quantities of egg replacer (found in health food shops), enough to replace 2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Flaked almonds

Method:

Ice Cream: 1. Chop the halva into small pieces.

2. Combine these with the soya yoghurt and blend with a hand-blender (or food processor) until smooth. Add a little icing sugar to taste.

3. Transfer the mixture to a plastic container and freeze for 1½ - 2 hours. Alternatively, use an ice-cream maker and follow its instructions.

4. If making by the freezer method, blend again briefly to break up the ice crystals and return to the freezer for another 2 hours.

Biscotti: 1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4 and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

2. Cream the margarine and sugar together until fluffy. Blend in the egg replacer and vanilla essence. Sieve in the flour and baking powder and add the lemon zest and flaked almonds.

3. Take a heaped teaspoon of the dough and roll it into a ball. Place it on the baking tray and flatten it slightly. Do the same with the rest of the dough.

4. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and crisp – longer if biscotti still soft. Store any extra biscotti in an airtight container.